Chelsea were last night linked with bringing back a player who proved to be one of the most divisive in the last few seasons at the club.
Reports have claimed they are interested in a sensational return for Joao Felix, with him seeming surplus to requirements somewhat at Atletico Madrid.
The news comes in an attempt to keep the Conor Gallagher deal alive, with the Blues’ move for Samu Omorodion collapsing at the final moments.
Chelsea had Felix on loan back in 2023, although he came into a side that were in a dark moment that wasn’t salvageable under Graham Potter or Frank Lampard.
For many supporters, it is likely to come down to what transfer fee they need to spend to get the deal over the line.
£43m price tag for Joao Felix for Chelsea
Ben Jacobs has stated that a fee of around £43m will be what is needed for the Spanish side to part ways with the Portugal international.
He said: “Atleti prepared to sanction a Joao Felix sale for around €50m.”
The fee is a bit higher than what they were looking to pay for Omorodion, however it remains to be seen if Chelsea can negotiate their opposite party down in their valuation.
Chelsea really want to sell Conor Gallagher
The desire to sell Gallagher feels very much at the forefront of this one, with him entering the last year of his contract and posing a serious threat of leaving for free at the end of the season.
Pre-season has seen Enzo Maresca work hard on finding the best personnel to feature when the Premier League season gets underway on Sunday at Stamford Bridge against Manchester City.
The midfield options are proving to cause what is likely a nice headache for the boss, with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doing their best to prove they should be on the pitch to start the campaign.
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